9.1 Global Education Opener

  • How would you define global awareness?

Awareness and respect of the world as one entity but with differing and various cultures, customs, languages, and geography.
From an educational perspective, global awareness prepares students to work in our everchanging, pluralistic world market.
  • To what extent would you say global awareness is an important 21st century skill? Please explain your answer

In a world economy, it is important to understand and be aware of differing ideas and cultures in order to be marketable and successful. But, capitalism aside, it is equally important to understand the human side of the world. It can be very challenging to sympathesize with a nation experiencing difficulties if we perceive the solution to be an easy one. It becomes more difficult if there is a huge cultural component preventing easy solution. Being "aware" is step one of a very long process. Understanding, sympathizing and being motivated to assist are also important. Being motivated to assist is also an additional challenge since awareness of cultural norms are important to a lasting solution.
I still agree with what I wrote above, but interestingly I'm more aware of how global awareness is necessary for students to prepare for the working world. The intersection of pegagogy, content and technology suggests a clear route to students' global awareness. I was also a bit self-congratulating since the methods we employ in 7th grade use many of the ideas presented in the article (collaboration, role-playing) as ways of teaching global awareness.


Global Awareness & Teaching article

Essential Questions:
1. What is global awareness for our students?
2. How do we help our students become globally aware?
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9.4 Use of Blogging

Blogger

Perspective blogging would work exceptionally well to help students showcase another's perspective. Students, and middle school students in general, have a difficult time taking another's perspective, particularly if the perspective is unpopular or contrary to their own personal beliefs. With some careful guidance, this method would be successful so that students can see other points of view.